Catch Up
This is a great game for groups of children and works
with mixed ages well. You will need at least 4 children and up to 8 (any
more than that and you should split them into two groups).
Age:
5+
Skills:
Patience!
Rhythm and chanting
Equipment:
2 dice
3 counters or small toys for each child
How to play
The object of the game is to be the first to win 3
counters. The children sit in a circle around a table or on the floor.
Split the dice so that the oldest child has one and the child sitting
opposite has the other. Put the counters in the middle.
The children who do not have the dice begin to create
a rhythm by first slapping their knees (or the table) once and then
clapping their hands once. When all children are synchronized they begin
to chant as follows:
[Each section of the chant is marked by / and takes
two beats]
/ Are you / ready? / Are you / ready? /
/ If ~ / so ~ / let’s ~ / go! ~ /
/ Roll now! / slap clap / What have you got? / slap
clap /
/ Must you pass? / slap clap / Hope not! / slap clap /
Repeat the chant over as play continues.
Play can get quite hectic! At the “Roll now!” command,
the children with
the dice roll - hoping for anything but a 6! If it is 6, they must pass
the die to the player on their left and take up the chant.
A child wins the round when he is still in possession
of a die and is passed another from the child on his right. The winner
of the round collects a counter. The first to collect 3 counters wins.
Variations for older children:
Increase the speed of the chant for older children.
Real professionals can begin to drop the extra / slap clap / in the game
chant for a very fast game indeed!
Variations for big groups of children:
If there are 6 or 8 children playing, you may wish to
increase the passing roll to two numbers - say a 5 and a 6. This speeds
the game up quite considerably.
If you enjoy this game, it has similarities to
Concentration (a clapping game) and
The Chocolate Game (a party game)
More Dice Games for Kids
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